1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protection structure capable of covering a medical needle after use, such as when it is withdrawn from the patient's body, thereby preventing inadvertent contact and penetration of the sharpened end of the needle with medical personnel handling the needle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Use of needles in the medical profession for transferring bodily fluids both into and from the human body is of course extremely widespread and a common practice in patient care. Due to the advances in modern medical technology, numerous structural modifications have been made with the intravenous needle and the reservoir structure to which it is attached such as but not limited to a catheter, hypodermic syringe, I.V. administering assembly, etc. The majority of such structures presently in use are now intended and designed to be disposable after a single use in order that infectious and contagious diseases cannot be spread from one patient to another. Such disposable medical structures are also utilized in order to eliminate any sterilizing step or processes previously used with "permanent" intravenous needle structures.
In utilizing such disposable structures, proper techniques for the actual disposal of such intravenous needles have become particularly important in recent years in an effort to reduce the inadvertent spread of contagious diseases such as, but not limited to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The later disease is of particular concern since there is no known cure. Further, it has been scientifically established that one method of transferring the disease is through the use of intravenous needles.
Accordingly, there is a need in the medical profession and the medical instrument industry for a device capable of being used with disposable intravenous and like needles useable on a variety of medical structures which adequately and effectively protects the sharpened or pointed tip of the needle from inadvertently coming into contact, and puncturing the medical personnel operating the medical instrumentation. Of particular concern is the ability to allow the medical personnel preferably to utilize a single hand in the operative and selective positioning of a shield in overlying and covering, protecting relation to the sharpened point of the needle. Typically, prior art and present day techniques involve the inclusion of an elongated hollow hub or covering in which the needle is originally packaged. The needle is administered to the patient by first removing the hub. After injection or withdrawal of the intended fluid to or from the patient, the needle is removed and the hub is normally inserted in covering and protecting relation to the needle.
In such a procedure, both hands of the person are utilized; one to hold the syringe or like medical structure and the other to fit the shield over the needle. Such techniques and apparatus have resulted in numerous inadvertent punctures of medical personnel even when extreme care was utilized.
Accordingly, a preferred technique and apparatus would involve the personnel to utilize a single hand to operatively position a shield or like protective structure in covering relation to the needle without bringing the other hand into close proximity to the pointed end of the needle.
In an attempt to overcome certain of the above set forth problems in the medical profession, the prior art is replete with numerous structures designed for the shielding or protection of the needle, and particularly the pointed end thereof so that inadvertent punctures and contact with medical personnel would be eliminated. Problems associated with many of the prior art structures is the ineffectiveness to adequately protect medical personnel, complex structural design of such medical structures resulting in their being commercially impractical and the inability of many of the structures to be operated utilizing only a single hand of the user.